Baccarat is a classic casino game, played in everything from sticky-floor California card rooms to tuxedo-laden Monaco casinos. While there is no way to guarantee consistent wins, the best baccarat strategies can help level the playing field. These betting systems focus on maximizing wins and minimizing losses, particularly when chasing losing streaks.

Most baccarat bets are placed on either the banker or player hand. A winning banker bet pays 1:1 minus commission, while the player hand payouts depend on the outcome of the deal. Banker and player hands are dealt from a deck of cards that is shuffled and combined after each round. Casinos usually use six or eight decks of cards, and they are stored in a box known as a shoe. While some baccarat tables allow players to touch the cards, many do not, and it is important to check with the dealer before placing your wagers.

There are two basic baccarat betting systems: flat betting and pattern trends. The 1-3-2-6 system is based on the idea that you should never bet more than two units from your total bankroll. This strategy allows you to stretch your bankroll across more baccarat games and prevents you from chasing bad streaks. Another popular baccarat betting strategy is the Martingale system, which involves increasing your bet size after each loss and decreasing it after each win.